The liberals in the NM State legislature finally got their way and have banned trapping and snaring on all public lands in NM beginning April, 2022.

They couldn't get the coming season shut down because the regs are already published and distributed for the 21/22 season.

Their justification? Nine "pets" were caught in leghold traps or snares last year throughout the entire state and they had to outlaw this "barbaric" behavior. The didn't care how many of those traps/snares were set illegally.

Facts and reason were never considered.

The ranchers and farmers who depend on grazing on public lands to make a living are just out of luck, folks who depend on trapping to supplement their income just lost some great opportunities, and getting into trapping for young folks just became much, much harder.

Ed

So, whose army is going to enforce that? That's a boatload of land to patrol.

Fugg

That's a damned good question they didn't answer (not that it wasn't asked) and they really threw the game wardens under the bus when they added the amendment that gave an exception to registered Native Americans!

You can bet there's going to be lawsuits out the wazoo!

Ed

State public land, or State and Federal public Lands?

State, State Trust, and all Federal Lands. There are still unanswered questions regarding the status of certain public properties that don't fall into those neat three categories. The questions were raised during committee hearings and the floor debates, but the liberals couldn't be bothered with determining facts and details. They just wanted to shove this through.

Ed

I have had people ask me if I am going to move back "home" (NM) now that I am retired.
This sort of thing and others like it is why I say NO!.
The home I left is no more.

Hence that old sayin'

Typical liberal asshats long on faulty ideology and short on common sense

Does this include M44 cyanide devices? I've seen those on BLM land in NM.

New Mexico is another welfare state that needs to be cut off but instead is going to be given everything.

Welcome to Colorado. Banned it in 1996. You can trap on private if the division of wildlife approves it as a damage permit...which never happens.

This makes me so mad. The animal rights groups are chipping away at our freedoms. Next will be hound hunting, bear hunting, cat hunting, etc.

Yes, and the 1080 collars for sheep. Essentially, no poisons, no snares, and no leghold traps.

Ed

How can a State ban trapping/snares on Federal (BLM / National Forest) lands?

The state manages the wildlife, at least in the states that I have experience with. Those federal agencies manage the habitat on the forests/desert on their managed lands but not the wildlife itself.

Yup. All 50 states have the same agreement although they kinda fudge it in AK.

Ed